Pirates of the Caribbean: One Day
by TheTudorRoseQueen
Summary: very AU and inspired from all 5 movies. Emma is a modern day descendant of the Turners and Becketts. One day Emma goes up to the attic to find a chest of old things, With the help of her mother, she discovers a missing piece to her family history - and why her parents tried to cover up their family history for almost 20 years. Will/Elizabeth, Henry/Carina one shot


Emma walked up the stairs into the attic of her grandparent's home. She often came up here to look for old things, family relics and such. Lighting her flashlight, she searched across the cold, damp room and found a door. Emma pushed it open to find a few shelves with books and one large chest with a key in its lock. A small gasp escaped her as she quietly turned the key. This was one of the moments she had adrenaline pumping through her due to the amount of excitement this brought. She could feel how close she was to discovering her family genealogy and history. It was right there at her fingertips. In the chest, she found stacks of papers and some scrolls with letters of marque, maps, journals and other things. Tucking the flashlight under her chin, Emma opened one of the letters carefully, the name in bold and letters larger than the rest of the page said one _William Turner_.

"Turner…" she whispered, with a small victorious laugh. "I knew it."

"Emma, what are you doing here?" her mother's voice startled her.

Emma yelped, dropping the flashlight and letters of marque. Her eyes widened as she looked at her mother, stuttering for the words. Hands shaking, she put everything in order back in the chest and got up. As Emma got up, she hit her head on the low doorway and cried out.

"Emma," her mother said.

"I just wanted to know," she replied. "Why did grandpa keep all those things – the letters, the journals – a broken compass?"

Her mother sighed and sat down on a rinky-dink stool. Liz knew she couldn't keep it from her daughter forever. Someday she was bound to know, despite her husband's objections to keeping _that_ part of the family history concealed. It wasn't the best thing knowing one's ancestors were notorious pirates and did horrible things to people.

"Your dad made me promise to not tell you. He doesn't like the past I have because his line comes from nobility. You see, his paternal ancestors were all active members of the Royal Navy. Even your father was in the navy once he came of age. That's why he's never really home, you know. He has a duty to his family name."

"But what's that got to do with your family?"

"You know his ancestor – I believe it was before the Jacobite Rebellion but anyway, his ancestor was one Lord Cutler Beckett. Notorious for branding pirates and allowing their executions," Liz paused.

"So, he's kind of like Black Jack Randall of our family – this Beckett fellow?" Emma commented.

Liz chuckled and nodded – knowing her daughter's obsession with the current Scottish series. She wondered if that was the reason why Emma had a sudden interest in learning about her family past.

"Your dad is quite honored to be a descendant of Lord Beckett – and I find it strange that I married him sometimes."

Emma brought out the letters of marque.

"William Turner, is he one of your ancestors?"

Liz nodded and looked at the letters of marque, the very same ones that her husband's ancestor had demanded to execute her grandfather (well, grandfather about twelve generations).

"Emma, my great grandfather, William Turner, who you see here – he was a pirate," Liz explained. "It was a bit of a shock to your dad when he found out our ancestors were linked through history."

"So – our family history – how many children did this William Turner have?"

"He had one child, as far as I am aware; in my years searching, I didn't go further enough to research if he had other children. His son, Henry is the connection to our family – his children and so on. It has been a long line of men and I am the first female line of this family. Henry did have two children as I saw, William and Margaret. I don't know much about Margaret's family or if we have any living relatives from her today."

"What if we could find out? I'm sure dad would love to know that I have more pirate-descended cousins out there!" Emma said, with giggle. "What happened to William Turner?"

Liz shook her head, she knew – from the stories Grandpa John had told but didn't want her only daughter knowing about the curse. She knew Emma to be somewhat logical – not believing in curses and ghosts and things of that sort. He had been bound to the _Dutchman_ for centuries, ferrying souls to the other side. Once every ten years could he make landfall – see his family and those he loved. For generations, one Turner lived to tell the tale of their seafaring grandfather – whose fate was tied to the sea. His soul was bound eternal. In the place her father had told her to go Liz went ten years ago. She met him for the first time. Will.

It was one memory she would never forget. Soon, the time was coming again. He would be back to meet their family. Perhaps Emma was ready to meet him. Liz took hold of her daughter's hand and leaned forward.

"Perhaps – I could show you something a few days from now? But you have to promise me that you keep this with you only. You cannot tell your father what you see and whatever happens."

"Why?"

"You'll understand when the time comes."

… ****…**

They stood on the beach at sunset, Liz and Emma. It was a beautiful sight, being on the beach by the ocean. Emma sighed and closed her eyes as the breeze gently blew around her, calming her nerves at what was coming. Her mother hadn't said much – just that they were meeting someone. Liz told Emma they were meeting a family member who lived here in the islands.

"Look to the horizon," Liz said.

Within moments of the last light of the sun, a flash of green covered the golden sky. Emma's eyes widened and she jumped back. At the horizon, there was a ship.

"Mom, what's going on?" Emma asked.

"You're going to meet your grandfather."

"What the hell? You told me he was _dead_! What in the hell is going on?" Emma yelled, feeling the tears welling up.

"Emma, listen to me – he –,"

"Elizabeth," hearing his voice made them stop – Emma froze in her tracks.

Her mother stepped to the side to see the man standing behind them. William looked at his granddaughter – how much she had changed in ten years. She was older and had some wrinkles around her eyes but her hair was still dark.

"Hello," she greeted, giving him a small embrace. "Will, this is my daughter Emma. I – I wanted her to meet you since she had discovered our family history recently. She knows about you – about Henry…about all of it."

Will looked on, noticing his granddaughter not moving – though she had the same dark hair as her mother, cascading to her shoulders in waves like the sea. Emma was breathing heavily, tears blurring her vision now.

"How could you keep this from me?" Emma shouted, turning around. "Why didn't you tell me he was still living under a fucking curse?"

"Your father did it for your own protection. But you are now an adult and I wanted you to know the truth."

Will walked up to Emma, studying her features. She certainly had a temper to match the sea. He could see some resemblance to the Beckett family – though she was mostly his descendant. All he could see in Emma was her mother. And oddly enough, a little bit of his Elizabeth.

"Do you believe this is real?" he asked.

"I don't know," Emma answered, bitterly. "How could you keep this from me? Didn't you trust me enough to accept this as reality?"

"Your mother was protecting you, but Emma, I am glad to have met you today. We have a few hours – I could tell you everything now so you know the truth."

Emma agreed and sat down with her grandfather to hear the stories of the golden age of piracy – how he met the love of his life, his adventures with the notorious Jack – excuse me, Captain Jack Sparrow and his life at sea as the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_. By the time Will had finished the adventures, it was nearing sunrise. The sky was growing lighter as the sun came up over the horizon. Emma released a heavy sigh, soaking it all in as she watched the sunrise.

"Emma?" he asked.

"I need a moment."

"I only have a few moments before I have to go back." Will reminded.

She nodded and kicked at a shell. In truth, she knew that Will was telling the truth. Her mind was screaming that all this was illogical. But in her heart she knew that this was truth. As much as she wanted to grasp reason, she couldn't – not with her ancestor sitting here beside her, telling her these stories as if it happened yesterday. The ship on the sea not far from where they sat looked authentic – he couldn't possibly have gotten it anywhere, even online. Even what William wore looked too real to be costume.

"That scar," Emma said, quietly.

"Where my heart was cut out," Will answered, revealing some of his scar. "Emma, you must promise me that you keep this between our families – your mother has and everyone before her. Your father knows some things but not all of it."

"You'll come back in ten years?" she asked.

He held out his hand to her.

"Every ten years," Will said. "Promise,"

She sighed, somehow allowing herself to accept what was before her. Emma took her grandfather by surprise as she embraced him. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her for a moment.

"I've got to go back. Am I going to see you in ten years?" he continued, as she pulled away.

Emma chuckled and nodded as her mother walked up to them.

"Will, I don't know if I'll see you again but—,"

"You will come back, with Emma, I know you will."

He smiled at them before vanishing into the sea. Emma sighed, staring out into the horizon with wonder. One day she would be back. One day. Someday. _I promise, Will._


End file.
